Lockdown Diaries: Capturing the Chaos, Joy, and Reality of Family Life in 2020

When the world shut down in 2020 and the New Zealand COVID-19 lockdown began, none of us really knew what to expect. Life slowed. Routines were flipped. Homes became offices, classrooms, and playgrounds. Like many parents, I suddenly found myself navigating this strange new world with three very active children under one roof and nowhere to go.

Rather than let the days blur into one long stretch of uncertainty, I decided to do something a little different. I picked up my phone and started recording. Every single day.

Smartphone and a free app

Using just my smartphone and a free editing app called InShot, I created a daily video diary of my kids. These weren’t polished productions or curated social media posts. They were real, unfiltered glimpses into our home life during lockdown. We had moments of joy, silliness, and creativity, mixed with frustration, boredom, and sibling bickering.

Some days the kids put on dance shows or built forts out of couch cushions. Other days, they were clearly over it and just wanted to do nothing (or have a WWE moment). And I captured it all.

Each evening, I uploaded the short videos to Facebook. At first, it was just a way to keep in touch with friends and family. But before long, those daily clips became something people looked forward to. I started getting messages from others saying the videos made them smile, helped them feel connected, or gave them something light-hearted to enjoy in the middle of a very uncertain time.

Including friends and family in the videos

I also created a couple of montage dance videos with friends and family from around New Zealand and overseas. I asked everyone to send in short clips of themselves dancing in their living rooms, backyards, or kitchens, wherever they were isolating. It became a way for us to stay connected, share a laugh, and feel united, even when we were separated by distance and lockdown restrictions.

A moment in time

What started as a creative outlet became something much more meaningful. These videos captured a moment in time we will always remember. They were not perfect. They were not staged. They were just us, living through a global pandemic the only way we knew how.

Now, when I look back at those videos, I don’t just see my children growing up. I see resilience, laughter, creativity, and love. I see our family adjusting and finding light in the chaos.

Sometimes, the most powerful stories are the ones you don’t plan. You just press record and let life happen.